The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-13

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mother was equally admirable % q
woman, but cast iron In her methodi-
cal mode OF life. He was greatly in.
fiuenced by her, although she was
never able to impart any Of her order
liness and primness to either him or
his brothers end sisters. That great
natured boy with such parentage
should develop queerly Is not
TO be wondered at. Added TO
this was the influence Of his broth
ers aud sisters Catherine, q hard
headed, active, busting woman OF
marked character and determined
convictions; Edwsrd, an interpretive
dweller, a muser on the conflict oil
ages, odd in his person as Catherine
rersslf, aud absent minded all the
time; Harriet, later the wife Il Prot.
Stowe, full Of genius, and blossoming
with its eccentric ways; Charles, full
OF fun, a perfect bombslell Of you b.
full indiscretioD, and several others all
on .er. With this start in life, Henry
Ward accredited his father with his
keen sense OF hum ", his intellectual
pc or, his robust body and his in
ienBe physical emotionaism. Aside
from the rude teachings of u county
school, Henry learned all be knew
until he entered Amherst College in
1880, when he was seveotsen years
old, at home. HIS fa'hei's house vas
the 10 dquartsrs OF theological dis
putRti IN, aud macy u battle was
wag ID across the ho'pitable board,
wnile the big eyed Chi dren listened
to that which no one could explain.
Modest and retiring in his manner,
Henry listened atentively to the
teachings Of his siepmother, but
the one result in thU,e days
was TO plant the seed Of
wonder and inquisiiveness, which
on up aud bore marvellous fruit in
later days. A brief p sriod in the Bj5
ton Lain School prepared Henry
Ward for college, and he eutertd
witnout trouble. Toe obtainabe rec
ord OF his experiences there does not
show brilian ly nor compare fiRorably
with that tf tcor g OF men who have
lived unnoticed and died unsuog. In
mathematics alone he was pr fcient,
fact which stands out clearly aud
strangely when it is remem oered that
in la or If, he was a periec. child ia
figures, and could never keep the sim-
pltst c,ount with any degree Of acau-
facy. Ia public ref reoces to these
days Of educA atom Mr. ID ecber often
said that he owed his inspiration for
manly living to three persons--his
dead mother, whose spirit ever
near him as a qua dian aDgsl; a negro
servant who chopped wood and sung
hymns in his fathers shed, and the
p ofessor OF mathematics in Amherst
q ,llege. He d d not Is udy hard in col.
lege. He much pref, FRED the excite
ment OF debates, the cheer OF the river
though the meadows, the singing If
birds and the outdoor sports in which
he was an adept That he was natural
b rn orator ia unquestioned, but his
shyness 80 thoroug ,ly controlled him
that when student for brief time in
Mount Pleasant, Just before he en-
tered college, his teacher was com
pslled to reason, plead aud almost use
force with him to ask b m to speak q
piece" in the presence OF his fellows.
Gradually that baetifu ness wore away,
and when he entered CO lege he
brought the reputation Of q ready and
& acsful speaker. At that early sgs
ne had acquired q taste for physical
and physiological science. He was
food Of reading in a desultory way,
aud although his habits were not
formed and his tastes were crude he
made the acquaintance OF classic
writer's whose sturdy aud vigorous
English WAS to him at once an object
OF admiration and lesson. His class.
mates recall his mastery in debate and
say that he had power Of ridicule
and badinsge that made him always
powerful advocate and q formidable
aatag ,nist. Although in mature life
he avoided controversies and taught
the largest liberty In thought aud
action, while pursuing his stud.
les both In college and seminary
he was quick to accept the gaunt-
let OF discussion and prone to start a
train of thought that was certain to
provoke challenge. Referring to the
FAC lty with which Illustrations fell
from his lips, Mr.. B ,tcher once eaid,
81 have always thought In figures OF
spsech." On one occasiou he spoke
OF Peace with diamond scepter" 10
her baud. a reporter a.ked If that
was what he m ant. as, OF coursa,
there was "no such thing as a dia-
mond scepttr." Il don't care,y 10.
piled Mr.. BaeChsr, II CUES. / know
what / saw" In other words, the
pictures he so glowlogly descr bed
were for the moment realities to him.
l was 30 vito him at au early period
Of his life, and the visions that flight
ened him in his boyish drains became
most potent we. pons in his hands in
later years.